The Epinal prosecution has requested a reduction in the charges against the four teenagers prosecuted for harassment that led to the suicide of Lucas, 13, in January, we learned on Tuesday April 4 from the defense.
During a closed-door hearing on Monday, "
the prosecution requested the abandonment of the aggravating circumstance linking suicide to school harassment
", told AFP Emmanuelle Larrière, lawyer for one of the four college students, confirming a information from the daily newspaper
Vosges Matin
.
Criminal liability
This request, if it were followed by the judges, would have consequences on the penalties incurred: in the penal code, the penalties provided for acts of bullying at school go up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros, against ten years' imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros when the harassment led the victim to commit suicide.
For minors, as is the case in this case, the prison sentence cannot exceed half the maximum provided for an adult, and the maximum fine is set at 7,500 euros.
According to the lawyer, the prosecution also requested the reduction of the period of the facts prosecuted, which could have an impact on the age of certain adolescents at the time of the facts, and therefore on their criminal responsibility.
Homophobic mockery and insults
"
Depending on their age, whether they were more or less than thirteen years old, this has an impact on the recognition of their discernment
", underlined Me Larrière.
The law considers that below the age of 13, a minor does not have the capacity to understand the consequences of his actions, and therefore cannot be found guilty of an offence.
Lawyers for the four teenagers have called for the charges to be dropped.
“
We all pleaded for release
,” explained the lawyer.
According to
Vosges Matin
, the judgment was reserved in June.
Lucas, 13, committed suicide on January 7 after writing a note expressing his desire to end his life.
His relatives had denounced acts of harassment, revealing the mockery and homophobic insults of which the teenager had said he was the victim of other students at his college, in Golbey (Vosges).
"The facts took place from September
2022 to the beginning of January
2023"
, indicated the public prosecutor of Épinal, Frédéric Nahon, at the end of the custody of the four minors.
The investigation "
established that the harassment could have participated in the suicidal act
," he added.